Property developer Megaworld Corp.
expects to generate 45,000 jobs in its 28.8-hectare The Mactan Newtown township
in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu over the next five to seven years.

The company said it was fast-tracking
the construction of state-of-the-art office towers to boost more employment in
Cebu, particularly in Mactan Island.

Megaworld first vice president Jericho
Go said the company would construct five to 10 more office towers in the
township by 2021 to reach the target of 150,000 square meters of office space
inventory.

“Due to an overwhelming demand of
office spaces and significant growth of the BPO industry in Cebu, we are doing
a massive infrastructure push in The Mactan Newtown. We have received inquiries
left and right from top BPO companies that are interested to set up operations
in our township,” said Go.

The strong interest among BPO
companies was propelled by the recent announcement that the township will have
its own beach. In January, Megaworld announced that it is developing the former
Portofino Beach to form part of the township.

“The Mactan Newtown will be the first
cyberpark to have its own beach. This will make living, working, and playing in
our township more exciting than what it used to be,” said Go.

The township’s first office tower, One
World Center, is now fully leased out by two international BPO-IT
companies—US-based Enfra USA and Results Manila. Both companies employ more
than 2,000 employees today.

The second office tower, Two World
Center, was recently topped off and is expected to open for operations this
June.Canada-based Manulife, one of the
oldest life insurance firms in the country, has leased out the entire building
for its operations in Cebu.